One UI 8.5 may secure more settings with Identity Check

Reportedly, Samsung's One UI 8.5 will be able to lock five more device settings and features with Identity Check.

Samsung’s previous version of Android customisation for Galaxy smartphones and tablets, One UI 7.0, brought with it Identity Check. This feature locks critical device settings behind biometric authentication when you aren't at a trusted location, preventing thieves and unauthorised people from changing them even if they have your device PIN. Well, the brand is now locking even more device settings behind Identity Check.

According to Android Authority, with One UI 8.5, Samsung is protecting five more device settings and features with Identity Check: transferring a Samsung account using Smart Switch, turning off Auto Blocker, unlocking Secure Folder, unlocking Private Albums, and changing USB connection settings. Let us take a look at what each feature or setting does and how protecting it with biometric authentication helps.

Transferring a Samsung account using Smart Switch: Samsung’s Smart Switch app lets you transfer data from an Android or iOS device to a Galaxy phone. If the device you are transferring from happens to be a Galaxy phone, it also lets you transfer the Samsung account on that phone to the new one. If a person steals your phone and transfers your Samsung account to a new Galaxy phone, they can gain more control of your Samsung account. The tech giant locking the transfer of the Samsung account over Smart Switch with Identity Check prevents thieves from gaining access to your Samsung account.

Turning off Auto Blocker: One UI offers a feature called Auto Blocker. It prevents you from installing apps from unauthorised sources. If a thief steals your phone and turns off Auto Blocker, they may be able to install apps that may help them gain better access to your device. However, they will not be able to do so with One UI 8.5, as it will ask them for biometric authentication to turn off Auto Blocker.

Unlocking Secure Folder: One UI offers a feature called Secure Folder that lets you hide and lock files, images, and videos. If a person steals your Galaxy phone and knows the PIN for the device, they can gain access to data in Secure Folder. Well, not with One UI 8.5, as it will ask for biometric authentication to unlock Secure Folder.

Unlocking Private Albums: One UI 8.5 brings a new Gallery app. It offers a new feature called Private Album. As the name suggests, it lets you create an album that you can hide and lock with a password. If the person who stole your device knows the device PIN, they may access this album, but not with Identity Check, as it will ask for biometric authentication to unlock Private Album.

Changing USB connection settings: If a thief connects your phone over a USB cable to a PC, they may be able to access data from your device or gain access to the device via backdoor entry by changing USB connection settings. Identity Check will prevent that, as it will ask for biometric authentication for changing USB connection settings.

While this is a great move, you will still need to enable Identity Check manually. If you don’t, none of these settings or features will be locked with biometric authentication. We hope that Samsung makes enabling Identity Check a part of the new device onboarding experience.

Abid Iqbal Shaik - Writer

First Samsung device: Galaxy S II

I’m a computer science engineer living in Hyderabad, India, who has a keen interest in automobiles and consumer electronics. My journalism career kicked off in 2017 with MySmartPrice where I wrote news, features, buying guides, and explanatory articles about technology among other things, and reviewed many products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, PC components, smartwatches, audio devices, wearables, and smart home products. Since then, I have worked for 91Mobiles, Apple, and Onsitego, before finally landing on SamMobile.

Phone Android 16 Galaxy S25 Ultra One UI 8.5